Movies - TV
Matt Smith Has Become The King Of The Reaction Shots On House Of The Dragon
By FATEMEH MIRJALILI
In Season 1 of “House of the Dragon,” Matt Smith's Daemon Targaryen is imperative to the show's narrative: he's the king's brother, Rhaenyra's uncle and royal consort, and the badass stepdad of her children. He is also a man of few words — Daemon rarely has much to say — and his eyes alone convey impending danger, or simple shake of his head, exasperation.
So much of Matt Smith’s brilliant performance comes from the fact that he can express leagues with just his facial expressions. One second he's looking like an absolute male-wife, obsessed with Rhaenyra and the fact that he has three dragon eggs to take back to her, next he's miserably looking at his brother, and third, he commits a very public murder.
Smith’s Daemon stops a fight from breaking out with a simple look in his eyes, his footsteps induce terror, and his eyes are impossible to look into — and that all takes place in one breathtaking scene. Daemon knows he doesn't need words to convey how he can be a danger to others, which in a room full of powerful people, is the most powerful weapon to possess.